
The International Music Festival and Competition is an annual event that provides musicians of all ages with opportunities to perform, to conduct and to write music while receiving professional guidance by leading experts in the classical music industry.
GOLD MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Allyssa Talledo
Angélique Erry
Chantal Luo
Clarisse Lin
Daniel Yu
Emma Kang
Hanyu Zhang
Jaden Thomas
Jason Chen
Kelly Chen
Nicole Huang
Ryan Lam
SILVER MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Allyssa Talledo
Catherine James
Hanyu Zhang
Jaden Thomas
Kelly Chen
Lucy Zhao
Nicole Huang
BRONZE MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Giancarlo Montanaro
Hermes Chan
Jashvir Rathore
Jason Chen
Kevin Guo
Kyle Guo
Louis Chan
Reena Tamaran
Renjing Li
Congratulations to all students for their amazing achievement!

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Savannah Dunberry |
Level 8 Theory |
92 |
Ms. Marina Grigorian |
Felix Yu |
Level 1 Piano |
91 |
Ms. Winnie Hsieh |
Elle Zhou |
Level 1 Piano |
87 |
Ms. Winnie Hsieh |
Jonathan Wong |
Level 1 Piano |
86 |
Ms. Marina Grigorian |
Priyanka Ragunathan |
Level 8 Theory |
86 |
Ms. Antonia deWolfe |
Hayden Chin |
Level 2 Piano |
85 |
Ms.Winnie Hsieh |
Catherine James |
Level 1 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Antonia deWolfe |
Chantal Luo |
Level 7 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Antonia deWolfe |
Elijah Gao |
Level 1 Piano |
82 |
Ms. Galyna Anno |
Jackson Zhu |
Level 3 Piano |
82 |
Ms. Elena Eremeeva |
Avni Prabhu |
Level 1 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigorian |
Aashika Eswarapatham |
Level 3 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Elena Eremeeva |
Bethany Tse |
Level 3 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Antonia deWolfe |
Thea Duggal |
Level 3 Guitar |
80 |
Mr. Ramon Taranco |
Esther Lam |
Level 4 Violin |
80 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Ryan Lam |
Preparatory A Piano |
93 |
Ms. Dianne Hughes |
Andrei Talledo |
Preparatory B Piano |
91 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Jonathan Wang |
Level 5 Flute |
91 |
Ms. Leonid Sprikut |
Nicole Huang |
Level 1 Piano |
89 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Janessa Puyo |
Level 2 Piano |
85 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Clarisse Lin |
Level 5 Theory |
84 |
Ms. Dianne Hughes |
Angelique Erry |
Level 4 Voice |
84 |
Mr. Paul Williamson |
Connor Lau |
Preparatory Violin |
84 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Angelina Kostantin |
Level 2 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Galyna Anno |
Clarisse Lin |
Level 8 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Dianne Hughes |
Allyssa Talledo |
Level 1 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Edwin Dong |
Level 5 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Theesik Aravinthan |
Level 5 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Reena Tamaran |
Level 1 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Winnie Hsieh |
Arianna Jean Lagunzad |
Level 2 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Karina Shnayder |
ADaniel Yu |
Level 4 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Karina Shnayder |
Brandon Yin |
Level 1 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Jason Chen |
Level 8 Theory |
80 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Thivya Jeyapalan |
Level 8 Theory |
92 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Isabelle Dasgupta |
Level 1 Piano |
90 |
Ms. Galyna Ammo |
Emily Jong |
Level 8 Theory |
89 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Priyanka Ragunathan |
Level 7 Theory |
88 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Louis Chan |
Prep B Piano |
86 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Thea Duggal |
Level 1 Guitar |
85 |
Mr. Ramon Taranco |
Hermes Chan |
Prep B Piano |
84 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Jessica Wang |
Level 6 Voice |
81 |
Mr. Paul Williamson |
Linda Liu |
Level 4 Oboe |
80 |
Mr. John Mills |

The International Music Festival and Competition is an annual event that provides musicians of all ages with opportunities to perform, to conduct and to write music while receiving professional guidance by leading experts in the classical music industry.
GOLD MEDALLIONS
Aaron Chen
Carter Kawabata
Hayden Chin
Peter Morcos
Reese Bi
Rex Hakimi
Thea Duggal
SILVER MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Alex Reyes
Allyssa Talledo
Catherine James
Chris Wei
Derek Price
Huy Luong
Kelly Chen
Kyle Guo
Reese Bi
BRONZE MEDALLIONS
Renjing Li
Aaron Dutta
Alec Dong
Edwin Dong
Jason Chen
Kevin Guo
Kyle Guo
Kyra Sophie Oszlai
Nicole Huang
Reena Tamaran
Reese Bi
Renjing Li
Theesik Aravinthan
Congratulations to all students for their amazing achievement!

The Royal Conservatory of Music April session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Aaron Dutta |
Level 3 Piano |
88 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Jerry Wong |
Level 3 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Ethan Wong |
Level 1 Piano |
82 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Bethany Tse |
Level 2 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Reese Bi |
Level 5 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Henry Zheng |
Level 2 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Jonathan Wong |
Prep B Piano |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |

This year there were over 1,000 young musicians performing at the GTA Kiwanis Music Festival. Competitive as ever, the Festival was a great opportunity for our students to receive feedback on their studies from internationally renowned artists
Three of the International Music Academy (Markham) students have received the highest recognition and has been awarded First Place in the following categories:
Aaron Chen 1st place (Clarinet Grade 9)
Patrick Hu 1st place (Clarinet Grade 8)
Jeffrey Su - 1st place (Clarinet Grade 6)
Jonathan Wang 3rd place (Flute Grade 3)
Jalen Yang 3rd place (Clarinet Grade 8)
Jaffrey, Patrick and Aaron have also been selected to compete at the Ontario Provincial Finals in June. Congratulations to them all and many thanks to their teacher Mr. Leonid Sprikut for his continued dedication.

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Kevin Guo |
Level 10 Theory |
95 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Jonathan Wong |
Level 8 Theory |
93 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Daria Pryymak |
Preparatory A Piano |
90 |
Ms. Dianne Hughes |
Angela Liang |
Level 1 Vioce |
88 |
Ms. Sara Chen |
Jason Chen |
Level 8 Piano |
88 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Clarisse Lin |
Level 7 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Dianne Hughes |
Avni Prabhu |
Preparatory B Piano |
83 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Clara Kim |
Level 8 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Dianne Hughes |
Thivya Jeyapalan |
Level 8 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Renee White |
Level 8 Theory |
98 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Jonathan Yu Sing Wong |
Preparatory A Piano |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Bethany Tse |
Level 1 Piano |
88 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Rida Aftab |
Level 5 Piano |
87 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Esther Lam |
Level 2 Violin |
87 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Reena Tamanan |
Preparatory B Piano |
86 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Janessa Puyo |
Level 1 Piano |
86 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Carter Kawabata |
Level 7 Piano |
85 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Jenny Wang |
Level 2 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Eva Montanaro |
Preparatory Violin |
84 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Daniel Yu |
Level 3 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Alec Dong |
Level 8 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Isabelle Dasgupta |
Preparatory B Piano |
80 |
Ms. Galyna Anno |
Anujan Kandasamy |
Level 5 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Emily Jong |
Level 7 Theory |
94 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Arianna Lagunzad |
Preparatory B Piano |
93 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Thivya Jeyapalan |
Level 7 Theory |
92 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Jonathan Wong |
Level 7 Theory |
92 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Avni Prabhu |
Preparatory A Piano |
89 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Priyanka Ragunathan |
Level 5 Theory |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Savannah Dunberry |
Level 7 Theory |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Shaelin Baldsing |
Level 2 Piano |
86 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Jason Chen |
Level 7 Piano |
85 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Jeffrey Su |
Level 4 Clarinet |
84 |
Mr. Leonid Sprikut |
Nitin Raj |
Level 2 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Jerry Wong |
Level 2 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Jatynne Raj |
Level 4 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Rohin Furchner |
Preparatory B Piano |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |

The Royal Conservatory of Music April session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Aryan Ihsan |
Level 2 Piano |
94 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Ava Ford |
Prep B Piano |
93 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Reena Tamanan |
Prep A Piano |
92 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Christina Tarla |
Prep B Piano |
92 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |

This year there were over 1,000 young musicians performing at the GTA Kiwanis Music Festival. Competitive as ever, the Festival was a great opportunity for our students to receive feedback on their studies from internationally renowned artists
Three of the International Music Academy (Markham) students have received the highest recognition and has been awarded First Place in the following categories:
Aaron Cheng – Clarinet (RCM Grade 8)
Patrick Hu – Clarinet (RCM Grade 7)
Jeffrey Su – Clarinet (RCM Grade 4)
Patrick and Aaron have also been selected to compete at the Ontario Provincial Finals in June. Congratulations to them all and many thanks to their teacher Mr. Leonid Sprikut for his continued dedication

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Alex Reyes |
Level 8 Theory |
100 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Jonathan Wong |
Level 6 Theory |
94 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Theesik Aravinthan |
Level 2 Piano |
88 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
April J Wei |
Level 9 Piano |
85 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Jenny Wang |
Level 1 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Nancy Peter |
Level 8 Theory |
83 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Thivya Jeyapalan |
Level 7 Piano |
82 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Renee White |
Level 7 Theory |
82 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Carter Kawabata |
Level 8 Theory |
82 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Edwin Dong |
Level 3 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Christina Tarla |
Preparatory A Piano |
95 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Nancy Peter |
Level 6 Theory |
92 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Adela Hua |
History Level 10 |
91 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Daniel Yu |
Level 1 Piano |
91 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Alec Dong |
Level 8 Theory |
90 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Ava Ford |
Preparatory A Piano |
90 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Rohin Furchner |
Preparatory A Piano |
90 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Shaelin Baldsing |
Level 1 Piano |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Kyra Sophie Oazlai |
Level 5 Theory |
86 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Jatynne Raj |
Level 3 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Nitin Raj |
Level 1 Piano |
81 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Holden Boutros |
Level 3 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Logan Boutros |
Level 3 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Deejesh Subramanian |
Theory 8 |
94 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Savannah Dunberry |
Theory 6 |
91 |
Ms. Marina Gregorian |
Aryan Ihsan |
Level 1 Piano |
91 |
Ms. Marina Gregorian |
Jashvir Rathore |
Level 1 Clarinet |
91 |
Mr. John Mills |
Bernice Chung |
Level 5 Theory |
88 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Alexandra Lavric |
Prep A Piano |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Rex Hakimi |
Prep A Piano |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Henry Zheng |
Prep B Piano |
87 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Carter Kawabata |
Level 6 Piano |
86 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Theesik Aravinthan |
Level 1 Piano |
84 |
Mrs. Suzanne Marfise |
Alexandra Lavric |
Level 1 Voice |
81 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Navid Pahlwan |
Level 4 Piano |
80 |
Mrs. Suzanne Marfise |
Chloe Ip |
Level 8 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Antonia DeWolfe |
Emily Jong |
Level 6 Theory |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Garrett Kawabata |
Level 9 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Rex Hakimi |
Level 1 Voice |
80 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Alec Dong |
Theory Level 6 |
94 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Deejesh Subramanian |
Theory Level 6 |
90 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Emma Grace Ortiz |
Level 3 Violin |
90 |
Ms. Salome Legemaate |
Alex Reyes |
Level 10 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Anya Pooran |
Level 1 Violin |
84 |
Ms. Salome Legemaate |

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Emma Grace Ortiz |
Grade 1 Violin |
90 |
Ms. Salome Legemaate |
Aryan Ihsan |
Prep B Piano |
86 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Jatynne Raj |
Grade 2 Piano |
86 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Shaelin Baldsing |
Prep B Piano |
85 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Dailiang Chen |
Grade 2 Piano |
83 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Nitin Raj |
Prep B Piano |
82 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
James Au |
Prep B Piano |
82 |
Ms. M. Grigoryan |
Jonathan Wong |
Grade 1 Guitar |
81 |
Mr. Ramon Taranco |
Celina M Mekhail |
Grade 5 Voice |
80 |
Mr. Justin Walsh |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Alec Dong |
Theory Basic |
97 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Olivia Maveal |
Theory Basic |
97 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Rhea Pai |
Theory Basic |
97 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Savannah Dunberry |
Theory Basic |
95 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Linda Gu |
Theory Basic |
95 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Bernice Wu |
Theory Advanced |
92 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Aaron Chen |
Grade 6 Clarinet |
89 |
Mr. Leonid Sprikut |
Evelyne Jurca |
Theory Intermediate |
87 |
Ms. Antonia De Wolfe |
Jackie Xu |
Grade 8 Clarinet |
80 |
Mr. Leonid Sprikut |

The Royal Conservatory of Music April session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Darius Bonakdar |
Grade 3 Piano |
87 |
Ms. Katherine Cao |
Carter Kawabata |
Grade 5 Piano |
85 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Teresa (Yuxuan) Peng |
Grade 9 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Mutian Liu |
Grade 7 Piano |
82 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Consumer Choice Award was established in 1987 and is considered to be the most distinguished award for business excellence in Canada.
This is the second time the International Music Academy has won the Consumer Choice Award for best private music school, within the past 5 years.
In his congratulatory letter to the International Music Academy Faculty and Staff, Mr. Marcl Sbrollini, President of the Consumer Choice Award wrote:
“… the consumers and the business in your community have selected you as the top-ranked organization in your industry. You are now part of a very select group of business owners and entrepreneurs recognized for their business excellence in the GTA.”
Official Announcement of the Award was made on February 4, 2016 in Le Parc Centre in Richmond Hill.
Warmest thanks to our students, their parents and all clients for their confidence in the International Music Academy. Congratulations to all teachers and staff for their dedication and work at the highest international standards.

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject |
Mark |
Teacher |
Emily Jong |
Harmony I |
97 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Joy Wu |
Theory III |
95 |
Ms. Katherine Cao |
Michael Lee |
Theory III |
88 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Labros Spandonidis |
Grade 4 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Celina Mekhail |
Grade 3 Voice |
81 |
Mr. Justin Welsh |

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Teacher |
Jatynne Raj |
Grade 1 Piano |
86 |
Ms. Lili Imastounian |
Mishani Tan |
Preparatory Violin |
81 |
Mr. Arpad Josephson |
Adela Hua |
Basic Harmony |
80 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Teacher |
Kyra Sophie Oszlai |
Grade 2 Piano |
93 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Kyra Sophie Oszlai |
Grade 1 Guitar |
86 |
Mr. Ramon Taranco |
Adela Hua |
Grade 5 Trumpet |
83 |
Mr. Leonid Sprikut |

This year there were over 1,000 young musicians performing at the GTA Kiwanis Music Festival. Competitive as ever, the Festival was a great opportunity for our students to receive feedback on their studies from internationally renowned artists.
Three of the International Music Academy (Markham) students have received the highest recognition and has been awarded First Place in the following categories:
Richard Zhang – 1st Award (RCM clarinet, Grade 7)
Jackie Xu - 1st Award (RCM clarinet, Grade 6)
Katherine Lee – 1st Award (RCM clarinet, Grade 3)
Garrett Kawabata – Silver Award (RCM piano, Grade 8)
Garrett Kawabata – Silver Award (RCM piano, Grade 7)
Karter Kawabata – Bronze Award (RCM piano, Grade 4)

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Teacher |
Anjali Mistry |
Music Theory II |
93 |
Ms. Suzanne Marfise |
Michael Lee |
Music Theory II |
92 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
David Yap |
Grade 2 Violin |
92 |
Ms. Marina Grigoryan |
Alena Parkinson |
Grade 6 Piano |
84 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Kyra Sophie Oszlai |
Grade 1 Piano |
83 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |
Kyle Omari Miller |
Grade 1 Piano |
80 |
Ms. Antonia de Wolfe |

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Edward Tang |
Theory Advanced |
93 |
Labros Spandonidis |
Grade 1 Piano |
91 |
Rida Aftab |
Grade 1 Piano |
87 |
Kayvon Najibzadeh |
Grade 1 Piano |
83 |
Matthew Finn |
Grade 2 Piano |
81 |
Jackie Xu |
Grade 4 Clarinet |
80 |
Tiger Zhao |
Grade 8 Saxophone |
80 |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Brenda Liu |
Theory Basic |
93 |
Rishi Bhuwan |
Grade 3 Trumpet |
86 |
Garrett Kawabata |
Grade 4 Violin |
80 |
Noah Mathew |
Grade 2 Piano |
80 |

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Tiger Zhao |
Theory Advanced |
93 |
Garrett Kawabata |
Theory Intermediate |
91 |
Carter Kawabata |
Grade 3 Piano |
87 |
Matthew Finn |
Grade 1 Piano |
83 |
Garrett Kawabata |
Grade 6 Piano |
82 |
David Yap |
Grade 1 Violin |
80 |
Ethan Jong |
Grade 2 Piano |
80 |

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Edward Tang |
Theory Intermediate |
99 |
Rishi Bhuwan |
Grade 1 Trumpet |
90 |
Sharon Cheung |
Grade 2 Flute |
87 |
Tiger Zhao |
Grade 6 Saxophone |
86 |
Olivia Xu |
Grade 4 Violin |
86 |
Chloe Cheung |
Grade 2 Flute |
85 |
Noah Mathew |
Grade 1 Piano |
80 |
Rachel Tang |
Grade 7 Piano |
80 |

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Anjali Mistry |
Theory Basic |
99 |
Odosa Obasuyi |
Grade 1 piano |
89 |
Michael Lee |
Theory Basic |
88 |
Zahra Mustansir |
Grade 1 piano |
84 |
Niral Mistry |
Grade 2 Clarinet |
83 |
Michael Cheng |
Grade 2 Flute |
81 |
Janis Cheng |
Grade 2 Flute |
81 |
Vincent Poon |
Grade 4 Violin |
80 |

The Royal Conservatory of Music April session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.
Student |
Subject, Grade |
Mark |
Chloe Tam |
Grade 3 Piano |
85 |
Adit Krishnan |
Grade 3 Piano |
82 |
Jessica Facchini |
Grade 2 Piano |
82 |
Alexander Nielsen |
Grade 2 piano |
80 |
Mariah A Brown |
Grade 5 Piano |
80 |
Gligor Djogo (clarinet) has won a first place in the category of ARCT Performance at the North York Music Competition for playing Mozart’s Concerto for clarinet and orchestra. His younger brother, Novak Djogo (flute), has won a first award and Radomir Djogo (trumpet) has won a first award as well. All three boys are students of Mr. Leonid Sprikut. Congratulations on their excellent performances and all the best in their future music-related endeavours.
May 2012. North York Music Festival was created in 2010 and has quickly gained popularity due to its professional adjudicators and non-competitive environment. Nicole Lazarovsky (voice) and Deven Chakravorty (voice) have won second award at the 2012 North York Music Festival.
April 2012. Eighteen IMA students took part in this prestigious event, held on April 7, 2012 at Ricoh Coliseum 9,500-seat stadium. To our pleasure, the Marlies have won the game, 45 seconds into overtime with 3-2. To watch a short documentary in HD, click on the image below.
April 2012.The Markham Music Festival is also known as the Euromusic Piano Competition. It has been created in 1994 and is sponsored by TD Canada Trust. The competition is for young pianists only and is based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curriculum. It is also one of the most serious piano competitions in the GTA. Congratulations on excellent performances to:
Gwyneth Poon (Second Award in RCM Grade 7 class)
Parthee Bala (Second Award in RCM Grade 3 class)
Warmest thanks to their teachers for inspiring our young pianists and guiding them to the highest achievements as well as to their families for their continuous support.
March 2012. Six students from the International Music Academy have competed with hundreds of participants from the Greater Toronto Area at the 2012 Kiwanis Music Festival. All have won prestigious awards in various categories. Congratulations on their outstanding performances to:
Marcel Short (Gold Award in RCM Grade 2 clarinet class)
Radomir Djogo (Gold Award in RCM Grade 2 trumpet class)
Novak Djogo (Gold Award in RCM Grade 6 flute class)
Garrett Kawabata (Gold Award in RCM Grade 4 piano class)
Carter Kawabata (Gold Award in RCM Grade 2 piano class)
Matthew Wong (Gold Award in RCM Grade 7 violin class)
Gligor Djogo (Silver Award in RCM Grade 9 clarinet class)
Mihai Lungu (Silver Award in RCM Grade 2 trumpet class)
Warmest thanks to their teachers for inspiring our young musicians and guiding them to the highest achievements as well as to their families for their continuous support.
February 2012. An international leader in the fields of music education and performance training, The Royal Conservatory is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year with the introduction of the combined Convocation and Gold Medal Awards Ceremony. Gold Medals are awarded each academic year, September 1 to August 31, by province or region, to candidates who have obtained the highest marks for practical examinations in each discipline, Grades 1 through ARCT. In order to be eligible for these awards, recipients must have obtained a minimum mark of 80% on their practical examination and have completed the theory requirements for their grade.
On behalf of The Royal Conservatory, we cordially invite you to the 2011 Ontario and Quebec Convocation and Gold Medal Awards Ceremony in Toronto to celebrate excellence in music with the community of Gold Medal Teachers and Medalists this year. The 2011 Ontario and Quebec Convocation and Gold Medal Ceremony wil take place on February 12, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory, The TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning at 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1W2.
Matthew Wong (grade 7 violin)
Edward Tang (grade 4 piano)
Mary Christidis (grade 3 harmony)
Katryna Durfy Weir (grade 2 rudiments)
Madura Muraleetharan (grade 2 voice)
Samantha Fung (grade 1violin)
Niral Mistry (grade 1 piano)
Timothe Noche (grade 1 violin)
Olivia Xu (grade 1 violin)
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Broadway Kids Live! Auditions. Broadway Kids Live! is a new programme created by the Kindred Spirits Orchestra that is designed to provide children with opportunities to acquire important skills in singing, acting, dancing, working with conductor, and performing in front of a large audience. From 115 applications received, 55 children from York Region were invited to audition live in Markham and another 23, in Toronto. During the live auditions, a panel of judges led by Maestro Kristian Alexander, Music Director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, looked for a particular blend of vocal, acting, and dancing skills, as related to a pre-determined list of characters that will later be included in the show. A final cast of 14 children was selected to perform live on stage of Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts on May 6, 2012:
- Aneesah Bari (Stouffville)
- Ayla Neumann (New Market)
- Candace Santos (Mississauga)
- Celeste McGill (Maple)
- Deven Chakravorty (Markham)
- Faith Rauen (Unionville)
- Glenn Edward Montera (Toronto)
- Isabelle Duchene (New Market)
- Leya Herschel (Markham)
- Lia Luz (Scarborough)
- Luka Mihajlovi (Markham)
- May He Tessoro (Unionville)
- Nicole Lazarovski (Markham)
- Samantha Waller (Richmond Hill)
16 students from the International Music Academy have competed with thousands of participants from the GreateToronto Area at the 2011 Kiwanis Music Festival. All have won prestigious awards in various categoriesCongratulations on their outstanding performances to:
- Stella Schneckenburger (Piano solo RCM Grade 3) - Gold Award and Best in Class
- Garrett Kawabata (Piano solo Sonatinas) - Gold Award and 1st place
- Celia Tang (Clarinet solo RCM Grade 10) - Gold Award and 1st place
- Sharon Wong (Piano solo RCM Grade 7) - Gold Award and 2nd place
- Ryan Xu (Piano solo RCM Grade 1) - Gold Award and 2nd place
- Carter Kawabata (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Gold Award and 3rd place
- Marina Wai (Piano solo RCM Grade 6) - Gold Award and 3rd place
- Michael Xu (Piano solo RCM Grade 4) - Gold Award
- Gwyneth Poon (Piano solo RCM Grade 5) - Gold Award
- Daniel Joanes (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Gold Award
- Julie-Anne Boucher (Violin solo RCM Grade 7) - Gold Award
- Hansel Lui (Violin solo RCM Grade 3) - Silver Award
- Daniel Joanes (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Silver Award
- Garrett Kawabata (Piano solo RCM Grade 3) - Silver Award
- Johnson Zheng (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Silver Award
- Martin Tuzin (Piano solo RCM Grade 6) - Silver Award
- Katherine Lee (Piano solo RCM Grade 4) - Silver Award
- Jobert Sevilleno (Voice solo) - Bronze Award and 2nd place
Three voice students from the clas of Ms. Helena Holl have won a
Silver Award at the 2010 Richmond Hill Music Festival. Congratulations
to:
- Leya Herschel (Italian Art Song)
- Nicole Lazarovsky (Broadway Musical)
- Jobert Sevilleno (Open class)
Through a collaboration with AYNI, the International Music Academy has assisted 4 children in Peru with the purchase of books and educational materials required for one year of studies. Watch a video about this exciting partnership in gallery.
The North York Music Festival (formerly NYCO Music Festival) has brought another wave of great success to our students, especially those who competed in the vocal classes. Congratulations to:
Stephanie Commarasana – GOLD Award (saxophone)
Leya Herschel – GOLD Award (voice)
Philip Huynh – GOLD Award (voice)
Charina Alducente – SILVER Award (voice)
Nicole Lazarovski – SILVER Award (voice) and BRONZE Award (voice)
Nicole Jaskot – SILVER Award (voice)
Garett Kawabata – SILVER Award (piano)
Aneesah Bari – BRONZE Award (voice)
Special thanks to their teachers Ms. Helena Holl (voice), Ms. Mao Ke (voice), Ms. Priscila Coelho (voice, piano), Mr. Leonid Sprikut (woodwinds), and Ms. Lili Imastounian (piano).
The Markham Music Festival is well known as the Euromusic Piano Competition. It has been created in 1994 and is sponsored by TD Canada Trust. The competition is for young pianists only and is based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curriculum. It is also one of the most serious piano competitions in the GTA. Congratulations on excellent performances to:
Gwyneth Poon (First Award in RCM Grade 3 Sonatina class)
Sindu Karunaharan (Second Award in RCM Grade 3 contemporary piece class)
Katherine Lee (Third Award in RCM Grade 3 contemporary piece class)
Warmest thanks to their teachers for inspiring our young pianists and guiding them to highest achievements. Best regards to the families for their continuous support.
Congratulations to the following students:
Gligor Djogo (GOLD Award), clarinet RCM Grade 8
Cameron Lee (GOLD Award), violin RCM Grade 8
Matthew Wong (GOLD Award), violin RCM Grade 6
Maggie Chie (GOLD Award), saxophone RCM Grade 6
Amanda Mac (GOLD Award), piano RCM Grade 5
Novak Djogo (GOLD Award), flute RCM Grade 4
Ameen Meshkat (GOLD Award), saxophone RCM Grade 4
Tiger Zhao (GOLD Award), saxophone RCM Grade 1
Jeffrey Li (GOLD Award), Guitar RCM Grade 1
Michael Xu (GOLD Award), piano RCM Introductory Grade
Michelle Yu (GOLD Award), voice Musical theatre
Andrea Wong (SILVER Award), violin RCM Grade 6
Martin Tuzim (SILVER Award), piano RCM Grade 5
Jamal Virani (SILVER Award), voice Musical theatre
Cathy Shen (BRONZE Award), voice Grand Opera
Congratulations on successful performances to:
Lucy Yi (double bass) - 1st place (class DB5)
Nicole Jaskot (voice) - 2nd place (class VO3)
Michelle Yu (voice) - 3rd place (class VO5)
The International Music Academy has won the 2008 Consumers' Choice Award for best music school in the GTA. We have won in all categories of "consumers satisfaction", "quality of education", "programmes and services", "learning and teaching environment", "management", "music festivals and competitions", and overall "business excellence". The official award ceremony was recorded on June 2, 2008 by CTV for future release.
The Consumers' Choice Award is considered the seal of excellence. For recipients the award not only constitutes the crowning achievement of their efforts, but more importantly it also represents the most valuable reward of all, the knowledge that they have earned the trust and loyalty of consumers.
The International Music Academy Faculty, Staff, and Management would like to thank all students and their families for their continuous support and for voting us the best music school in the Great Toronto Area.
Xianxin Du was selected to represent the GTA at the Ontario Provincial Competition (in the category of brass instruments). He competed with other candidates from all major cities in Ontario and has won the Second Award. This has been very fruitful year for Xianxin. He has also won a SILVER medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Second Award from the Kiwanis Music Competition. Congratulations on your great achievements!
The International Music Academy Faculty and Staff congratulate the following students on their outstanding performance:
Ryan Ip (violin) – First Award (RCM 9 Violin sonata)
Ryan Ip (violin) – First Award (RCM 9 Violin concerto)
Renée Ly (piano) – First Award (RCM 4, List A)
Diane Tam (violin) – First Award (RCM 3, List C)
Xianxin Du (trumpet) – Second Award (RCM 9, List B)
Ryan Ip (violin) – Second Award (Bach solo sonata)
Clemence Tam (violin) – Second Award (RCM 4, List A)
Renée Ly (piano) - Second Award (RCM 4, List B)
Diane Tam (violin) – Second Award (RCM 3, List A)
Ranjith Ranganathan (guitar) – Second Award (RCM 1, List A)
Anna Wong (violin) – Second Award (RCM 2, List A)
Daniella Pisciola (piano) – Second Award (RCM i, List A)
John Mamatis (piano) – Second Award (RCM 1, List B)
Clemence Tam (violin) – Third Award (RCM 4, List C)
Aaron Wong (piano) – Third Award (RCM 4, List B)
Matthew Wong (violin) – Third Award (RCM 4, List A)
Maria Pin (violin) – Third Award (RCM 4, Violin Studies)
Stanley Yeung (trumpet) – Third Award (RCM 4, List B)
Amanda Mac (piano) – Third Award (RCM 2, List B)
Serena Sgandurra (piano) – Third Award (RCM 1, List A)
Ganesh Santhananthan (saxophone) – Third Award (RCM 2)
Congratulations go also to the following students for their excellent performance. They all have put a lot of time and energy and have achieved great results: Cameron Lee (violin), Hayson Ko (violin), Stanley Yeung (piano), Sunny Yeung (piano), Chelsea Dumasal (piano), Ellie Mamatis (piano).
We would also like to thank the teachers Mr. Leonid Sprikut, Mrs. Svetlana Koroleva, Mrs. Irina Pechkina, Mrs. Olga Polikarpova, and Mr. Rizgar Al-Timary for their professionalism and dedication.
The Kiwanis Music Competition is the oldest in Canada and is a member of the Kiwanis International that was founded in 1915 with the goal to "change the world one child and one community at a time".
Arts Richmond Hill was founded in 1979 as a community based Arts Council whose mandate is the advancement of arts and culture through promotion, awareness, and education. Every year hundreds of students participate in a Music competition based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curricula and examination requirements. During the last weekend of November 2007 iMA students competed in several classes for piano, violin, trumpet, flute, and voice. The winners of this year Richmond Hill Music Competition are:
Aaron Wong, GOLD medal (piano, P13)
Alexander Volkov, GOLD medal (violin, VN25)
Alexander Volkov, GOLD medal (violin, VN27)
Hayson Ko, GOLD medal (violin, VN19)
Serena Sgandurra, GOLD medal (piano, P4)
Stanley Yeung, GOLD medal (trumpet, TU3)
Xianxin Du, GOLD medal (trumpet, TU5)
Aaron Wong, SILVER medal (piano, P11)
Alexander Volkov, SILVER medal (violin, VN24)
Alexander Volkov, SILVER medal (violin, VN26)
Anna Djalilvand, SILVER medal (violin, VN9)
Anna Djalilvand, SILVER medal (violin, VN11)
Deanna Rudiak, SILVER medal (violin, P18)
Diane Tam, SILVER medal (violin, VN9)
Hayson Ko, SILVER medal (piano, VN18)
Serena Sgandurra, SILVER medal (piano, P3)
Anna Djalilvand, BRONZE medal (violin, VN10)
Anna Wong, BRONZE medal (violin, VN6)
Diane Tam, BRONZE medal (violin, VN10)
Diane Tam, BRONZE medal (violin, VN11)
Hayson Ko, BRONZE medal (violin, VN20)
Jonathan Matta, BRONZE medal (piano, P2)
Every academic year the Royal Conservatory of Music awards SILVER medals to students who have achieved the highest marks on their combined practical and theory examinations. Only one student per grade (1 through 10) would receive the SILVER medal award in the province of Ontario. The GOLD award is given only to accomplished students at the Artist Diploma (ARCT) level.
We are proud to announce that this year the Royal Conservatory of Music has awarded SILVER Medals to two iMA students:
Alexander Volkov, a 12 years old violinist who has achieved 94% on his Grade 7 violin and 99% on his Theory 2 examinations; and
Xianxin Du, a 18 years old trumpeter who has achieved 92% on his Grade 8 trumpet and 99% on his Theory 2 examinations.
The International Music Academy is thrilled that Alexander and Xianxin are both the only students from the province of Ontario who have been awarded the RCM SILVER Medal this year.Congratulations and warmest thanks to their families and to the devoted IMA teachers for this great achievement. The Award Ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at The Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street in Toronto.
The Markham Music Festival is well known as the Euromusic Piano Competition. It has been created in 1994 and is sponsored by TD Canada Trust. The competition is for young pianists only and is based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curriculum. It is also one of the most serious piano competitions in the GTA.
The iMA Faculty and Staff would like to congratulate the following students for their spectacular success at the Euromusic Piano Competition:
Aaron Wong, winner of two BRONZE Awards in groups of 12 and of 9 competitors;
Sarika Chakravorty, winner of the BRONZE Award in a group of 16 competitors;
Suzette Marie Cameron and Rochelle White for their outstanding performance.
iMA student Xianxin Du has won the prestigious Kiwanis Music Foundation 2007 Scholarship. He has competed at the Kiwanis Music Competition and is the only trumpeter in the GTA who has been given this award. In a personal letter to Xianxin, Ms. Pan Allen, General Manager of the Kiwanis Music Festival, wrote:
“Congratulations on your outstanding performance at the 2007 Kiwanis Music Festival of Greater Toronto! In recognition of your talent and hard work, our team of adjudication has chosen to award you with the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Foundation Award. The Kiwanis Music Festival of Greater Toronto hopes that you use this award toward the further development of your talent.”
The iMA Faculty and Staff are very happy of Xianxin’s success. He is currently preparing for his RCM Grade 8 examination in June. You can hear him playing at one of the iMA students’ recitals in May and at the iMA Annual Concert on June 24th.
World famous conductor and Music Director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Maestro Benjamin Zander, came to Toronto on January 19th, 2007.
In the morning, Mr. Zander gave a speech on “The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Live” at the Toronto Hilton Convention Centre. Later in the afternoon Maestro Zander conducted a special concert at John Bassett Theatre in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and presented his highly acclaimed concept of the orchestra as a metaphor for leadership. After the concert Maestro Zander signed copies of his world bestseller “The Art of Possibility”, presented by Harvard University Press.
Benjamin Zander’s work as a conductor and motivational speaker has been awarded the highest attention on five continents. His leadership view is unconventional and its impact is without boundaries. His teaching transforms entire lives through “The Art of Possibility” in ways that are nothing short of magical with results that are nothing short of exemplary. According to Fortune 500, “Ben Zander is the hottest property on the management guru circuit”. According to Boston Globe, “Zander is one of the finest conductors in the world”.
Both the speech and the concert were presented to a very interesting multifaceted audience: executives from leading Canadian companies; conductors and music directors converging in Toronto from five continents for the Conductors Guild International Conference; high school and university students and professors; seniors.
The event was presented by Classical 96.3 FM and sponsored by the International Music Academy.
Congratulations to our students for their excellent performance!
Cameron Lee (violin, first award)
Stephen Yu (violin, first award)
The iMA teachers and staff extend their warmest wishes to our students' families. Thank you for your continuous support!
To print a copy of the current month newsletter and take advantage of exciting offers, coupons and current promotions, click here [PDF].
Year XXX, No. 2 (February 2026)
Imogen Mesker, voice
Emma Chalyk, violin
Shonu Bhasin, piano
Aarunya S., Advait S., Maryam J., Carina C., Hemanvi S., Aarav R., Diego U, Eleftheria K., Eyad S., Sunthosh T., Angelina W., Alexander A., Olya P.
February 7 Flato Markham Theatre. Operatic Rhapsodies.
Kindred Spirits Orchestra.
February 14 Valentine’s Day.
February 16 Family day. IMA is open.
February 17 Lunar New Year (until March 3).

The Ontario Ministry of Education requires that all high-school students get involved with a charitable or non-for-profit organization volunteer 40 hours in community service. Our affiliated charity, the Kindred Spirits Orchestra (KSO), has several projects with various time commitment that can be done either at home or at its locations in Markham and Stouffville. If you are in grade 9, 10, 11 or 12 and looking for community service, email GM@KSOrchestra.ca The projects are open to all students (including those who are not taking lessons at the IMA), so feel free to refer your friends.
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We have been very pleased with the continuous success of our students. They have improved a great deal and we share their excitement with their families, friends, neighbors, and schoolmates. We appreciate your interest towards our programs and services. We are always very happy to welcome new students of all ages, levels, and instruments to the iMA. Please tell your friends about your experience with the International Music Academy.
Do you know someone who is thinking of taking music lessons or who has children who may be interested in getting their hands on a musical instrument or singing? Do you know a teenager who needs a high school OAC credit? Do you know an adult who has wanted for a long time to learn how to play a musical instrument but has never had the time or inclination? Please tell them about the IMA.
As an appreciation for your referral, we will give you a $30 credit for each new student who registers at the International Music Academy as a result of your referral.
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The IMA offers personalized Gift Cards that could be used as thoughtful birthday, holiday, bar/bat Mitzvah, graduation gift or for any other occasions as well as to encourage someone to start learning a musical instrument or singing. The card can be used for any products or services.
The gift card is available for any amount. As cards are personalized with the name of the person who will receive it as well as with the name of the person who purchase it, requests have to be made 1 day in advance. Cards can be ordered in person, by phone at 905.489.4620 or by e-mail at info@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca. At the time the card is ordered, a non-refundable $5 deposit is required. The full value of the card is paid upon pick-up (and the deposit is credited towards the purchase price). Payments can be made by any major credit card, cheque or cash as well as through the accounts of the IMA Clients.
February 3, 1809 Mendelssohn was born
February 13, 1883 Wagner died
February 15, 1857 Glinka died
February 23, 1934 Elgar died
February 23, 1685 Handel was born
February 27, 1887 Borodin died
February 29, 1792 Rossini was born
Where you born or do you know someone who was born on the same day as these famous composers?
Drop us e-mail at info@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca to let us know.
B.Mus., Piano / Voice Studies
Ms. Kehyaian was born in a family of musicians in Aleppo, graduated with a Diploma in music and theory from the Aleppo Conservatory of Music and further studied piano and harmony with renowned professor Hrant Kevorkian. With over 30 years of practical knowledge and experience, Ms. Kehyaian brings efficiency and motivation to every piano lesson. She emphasizes the development of technical skills to support musicality while adjusting her methods to her students learning style and natural capabilities. Ms. Kehyaian helps students of all ages and abilities to discover their passion in studying music. As a former Principal of Parsegh Ganatchian Music School and music professor at the Karen Jeppe Armenian College in Aleppo, she managed and assessed annually over 375 students. She works in conjunction with parents and students to set consistent and attainable goals while inspiring, instructing and creating positive learning experience for her students.
Mr. Kehyaian was happy to answer a few questions for our students and parents:
1. What do you like most about teaching? I love teaching and love seeing people grow in their understanding of music and in their ability to turn something black and white into beautiful colors. I love piano teaching. I have been doing it since some time in 1979.I love my students and saw how much of an impact I could have on their lives. The one-on-one relationship between a piano student and their teacher is very special. It is a great privilege and responsibility. Teaching someone for several years is wonderful. I love seeing someone develop their musical ability and understanding. It is rewarded to teach someone for several years and see this take flight. For me this motto is very important (The one who teaches, learns) or (It is amazing what you learn when you teach). I have learnt so much during teaching piano, have learnt a lot about music, about pianos and piano playing and about life. I like most about teaching to inspire, provide expert instruction, and bring joy to students through positive learning experiences and abilities to discover a passion in studying music. Also, the most I like about teaching my love watching students’ progress. It is very fulfilling to watch students grow over the span of their lessons with me and to know that I contributed to their growth and their success.
2. How do you inspire students to practice more? Learning to play piano is a hard task. It takes grit and determination. In order to better serve my students, I think it is helpful to understand why students continue, this can help me to prevent the flip side, why some students quit. Below are what I think the top many ways to motivate and inspire students to practice piano. Praise – a simple way to motivate piano students and probably the most essential component of good instruction, genuine, heartfelt and enthusiastic praise from a trusted teacher is often the best reward for a student. If you have a good relationship and rapport with your students a kind word from you can go a long way. They will go home and only glowing about their accomplishment last week-but looking forward to what they can improve for next week’s lesson. Achievements could be more structured, such as exams or competitions but they might also just be personal goals. Make sure you celebrate all of the achievements big and small. Develop a real connection with students. Make sure they understand what their practice goals are for the week. Re-assess whether the workload you are giving a student suits them. Give them context about composer or the work they are learning. Create a practice schedule with them. Review the practice logistics to make sure their practice atmosphere is conducive. Have a conversation with the parent to make the student active. Show them inspiring performances. Be their inspiration, continually inspire them, encouraging them and exemplifying what success looks like. Assure them that you are putting them on the path of success and they are already succeeding. As the teacher, be in love with the music -It is hard not to catch the fire of someone else’s enthusiasm when they absolutely love what they are teaching. Teach them the relevance of what they are learning to their lives. If they understand why they are playing the piano, and why this is important to their life, then they may decide it’s something worth pursuing. Help them catch the vision of what will do for them in their life. Have them self-respect. Allow them the opportunity to determine their own strengths and weaknesses and determine what they should be working on and how often. Use their interests to motivate them. Find out their interests and use that to motivate them to practice. Encourage them to use some practice time to create a line of their song or a title or a chord progression. Make it fun. Making piano lessons fun can change the whole perspective of (piano)for the student. If they think that piano is fun, then what’s to stop them from practicing all week? After all, it is called playing the piano for a reason.
3. What roles does performance play in student’s development? The performance plays big roles in student’s development. The purpose of the performance is to discover the personal learning style of the student his/her basic motor and auditory skills as related to music and to create a personalized program tailored to the individual goals and objectives of the student. The performance offer opportunities and inspire practice time, and it is necessary to motivate students and help them recognize their strengths and weaknesses. The performance like a recital, solo concert, or other event in public-so much emphasis is put on the preparation of the piece itself, of course knowing the piece he /she is going to play proficiently is step number one, but the way a student (carries himself) is also a big part of the performance as well. I have found that going over the performance etiquette basics with students extensively helps them consistently play their piece better. The reason for this lies in the full concentration and comfort students gain in knowing exactly what to do every moment the audience is looking at them. Research shows that teacher-efficacy has an effect on his/her students’ performance. It is important that teachers believe in themselves and in their abilities as a role model and educator, because it plays an important role on their student’s self-perception and performance.
4. Who are your favourite composers? Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, George Frederic Handel, Komitas, Aram Khachaturian, Arno Babajanian.
5. What was the last piece of music (sheet music or a recording) you purchased for yourself? Elegie - Arno Babajanian, Nocturne C-sharp minor - F. Chopin, Waltz in C-sharp minor Op. 64 - F. Chopin, Prelude in C major - J.S. Bach.
E-mail to info@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca a photo of yourself (or your child) together with the answers of the questions above. The deadline for submissions is the 15th of every month. We will feature you in one of the next issues of the newsletter.
By Anya Wassenberg
Ever been busted for adding a spicy chord to the national anthem? No? Then you're already doing better than Igor Stravinsky. From murder to tax fraud, these classical music legends got into more trouble than your average rock star. Here's who did what:
1. Igor Stravinsky: The Anthem Outlaw
The same guy who caused riots with "The Rite of Spring" got shut down by Boston police in 1944 for... wait for it... adding a dominant seventh chord to "The Star-Spangled Banner." The cops literally made him pull his arrangement from the next day's concert. Talk about harsh music critics.
2. Glenn Gould: The Well-Dressed "Vagrant"
Picture this: You're a world-famous pianist chilling on a park bench in Florida. But because you're wearing winter clothes (in summer), the cops arrest you as a homeless person. Classic Gould move.
3. Carlo Gesualdo: The Murderous Composer
This one's not funny. Gesualdo straight-up murdered his lover and her boyfriend, then used his noble status to dodge prosecution. He spent the rest of his life writing music that sometimes referenced the killings. Yikes.
4. Beethoven: The Angry Window-Peeper
Lost in an Austrian town, a dishevelled Beethoven got arrested for looking through people's windows (he was just trying to ask for directions). While in jail, he yelled so much that one cop begged his boss for help, saying, "We have arrested a man who gives us no rest and keeps claiming he's Beethoven." Plot twist: He actually was Beethoven.
5. Bach: The Stubborn Employee
Got passed over for a promotion? Bach got thrown in jail for 30 days when he tried to quit his job. But because he was Bach, he spent his jail time composing organ music that we still play today. Best use of prison time ever?
6. Montserrat Caballé: The Tax-Dodging Diva
This Spanish soprano could hit all the high notes except when it came to paying taxes. She got caught dodging €500,000 in taxes and had to pay a €250,000 fine. That's a lot of opera tickets.
7. Franz Schubert: The Mouthy Musician
Schubert talked back to some Vienna cops during a wild night out and got arrested for "opprobrious language." Basically, he was the 19th-century equivalent of that friend who always argues with the bouncer.
Next time someone tells you classical music is boring, hit them with these stories.
To comment on this story or anything else you have read in the Newsletter, head over to the IMA Facebook page or message us on X.
